Hamill’s Beat - Sorry to mention the ‘p’ word

Norman Hamill

It’s the last day in July and this column has only once, this year, mentioned parades.

Next year I’ll try harder. It would be nice to get through the whole marching season without mentioning them.

They’re tedious.

That’s why, if they can afford it, many make a dash for the north’s airports at the start of July.

Sorry about this but the stark contrast between two letters on the parades’ issue in our local papers seemed to call for comment.

Pauline Armitage, a stalwart Orange enthusiast from Portstewart wrote, “If the protesters and distant [sic] republicans think they can get rid of the Twelfth, the Orangemen, the bandsmen and all their supporters they had better think again.”